Road deaths increase from previous years in Ekurhuleni over December
More deaths in Ekurhuleni roads this season than previous year.
The EMPD had a busy festive season with 44 people perishing on the roads of Ekurhuleni between December 1, last year, and January 2, this year.
The breakdown is as follows:
• Pedestrians: 21
• Passengers: 13
• Drivers: 7
• Motorcyclists: 2
• Cyclists: 1
Included in the number of pedestrians killed were two seven-year-old boys and one eight-year-old girl.
All of the pedestrians killed were male save for the eight-year-old girl.
Nine of the 21 pedestrians killed lost their lives on the metro’s highways (three on the N3, three on the N12 and three on the R21).
Of the 13 passengers who were killed, six perished in one serious accident involving a minibus taxi which occurred on the M2 highway east at the Geldenhuys Interchange in Germiston.
One cyclist sustained fatal injuries in Tsakane.
One driver died in Daveyton, one in Tsakane, one in Kwa-Thema and one in Putfontein on the N12 highway eastbound.
Two motorcyclists lost their lives on the R24 highway east near the N3 highway split and the R59 highway northbound near the Reading Interchange.
“Based on the physical evidence on the accident scenes, the fatal accidents can be attributed to drunk driving, excessive speeding, reckless and negligent driving, bad demeanor and attitude of drivers and failure on the part of pedestrians to take proper care and pedestrians crossing highways,” said Chief Supt Wilfred Kgasago, spokesman for the EMPD.
In terms of categorisation of accidents according to types of roads, 24 were killed on national roads (including 10 pedestrians), seven on provincial roads and 13 on CBD/suburban roads.
The fatal accidents comparison with regard to previous years is as follows:
• December 2015: 35 people killed
• December 2016: 36 people killed
• December 2017: 44 people killed
During the course of the month EMPD officers issued 4 653 summonses for documentation, equipment on vehicles, defects and moving violations.
A total of 207 drivers were arrested for drinking and driving – 100 in the EMPD eastern operational region, which covers Nigel, Springs, Brakpan, Duduza, Kwa-Thema, Etwatwa and Daveyton.
The northern operational region, which includes Bromberg, Benoni, Edleen, Kempton Park, Edenvale and Tembisa (Winnie Mandela), saw 91 drivers arrested, while the southern operational region had 16 behind bars.
Eighteen drivers were arrested for excessive speeding.
A total of 58 complaints received via the metro control centre involving fireworks were received, to which the metro police responded and either gave a verbal warning or found the places quiet.
